Want quality? Start with the corners nobody notices.
When I mopped, I used to think I should start with the middle of the floor. That’s where I spend the most time and the saw the most.
I’ve included mopping in My sidchas, standard operating procedures, and preferences on one day of my six-day exercise cycle, meaning I haven’t skipped or missed mopping every sixth day for years. Performing a task with a measure of quality teaches a lot internally and externally.
I’ve learned to start with the corners and out-of-the-way or not-visible areas. Then the middle takes care of itself. If I start with the middle, the corners accumulate dirt.
I’m not just talking about mopping floors. I’m talking about any performance-based field. Actually, any art. An artist who cares and who has mastered a craft sweats the details. They matter.
Cleaning the dirt from an area I had thought was clean or didn’t notice existed feels great.
This advice is consistent with Admiral and Navy SEAL McRaven’s advice, “If you want to change the world, make your bed.”
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